In the Dog House

A wiener, a bun, and then some

Upon walking into Dog in a Box on the corner of 17th and Pearl, I was greeted with the smell of freshly cooked sausages, two smiling faces and a large sign reading “Legends,” beneath which hung framed portraits of history’s better known jazz musicians. From outside, the view had been of windowpanes packed from left to right with prices, drawings and signs — an intriguing hole-in-the-wall appearance that welcomed me inside.

When I sat down to try the “Oktoberfest” hot dog that the employee kindly recommended; I was pleased to find that it was hot, with a fresh bun and evenly distributed condiments. In short, it had the all the characteristics and qualities of a legit hot dog

“We wanted variety, we wanted originality, we wanted quality and we wanted to control the process from beginning to end, which we did,” says owner, founder and self-proclaimed delicatessen hound Steve Solomon. “All our hot dogs are custom made to our own recipe.”

Dog in a Box boasts two Eugene locations, each of which is partly solar powered and stacked with options including vegan and vegetarian alternatives. With almost 15 entirely Oregon-grown and Oregon-made hot dogs from which to chose, there’s sure to be something fitting everybody’s tastes.


[Photo by Trask Bedortha]

Since first opening in 1993, the restaurant over time has garnered influence from cuisines around the world, with especial focus on European sausages and the beloved, traditional all-American hot dog. There’s been demand for hot dogs in the U.S. dating back to 1870, when original hot dog badass Charles Feltman sold sausages in buns on Coney Island. And while they may not have Feltman’s added attractions of the beach, boardwalk and Cyclone, Dog in a Box wieners still know how to draw a crowd.

“We’ve been in business 17 years, and every year it gets greater and greater, demand is very strong,” Solomon says. Demand, the crucial counterpart to supply, is definitely an important thing to consider, and there should be no shortage of it with the prices listed on Dog in a Box’s menu: A fat, condiment-slathered wiener will run you about five bucks — a fair price considering the quality and rate of service. Throw in a drink and you might even be able to pay with a card, considering they have a $5 minimum on debit and credit (be wary of this fact before going in, cash is preferable). If a trip to the ATM is all that’s separating you from an awesome and reasonably priced hot dog, I’d say it’s worth it.

From the checkerboard floor to the glossed-leather stools, Dog in a Box has that homey, vintage appearance you hope to find in a traditional hotdog and European sausage joint. Oh, and there’s this — all aesthetics aside, the food rocks. Charles Feltman would be doggone proud.

Dog in a Box has locations at 195 E. 17th Ave. and at 210 W. Sixth Ave.; more information at www.doginaboxeugene.com

[EW Chow! Restaurant Guide 4/7]

Take ‘em or Leave ‘em

It’s summer again, and everybody is ready to throw their mundane lives aside for some time out. For many, this break takes the form of a weekend camping trip to an overly commercialized — but nevertheless pretty — hosted campground; for others, ridiculous tourist traps like California and Cancun seem to be the only options. But if everybody and their dog decide to go on vacation, what actually happens to the dogs? What about the cats, birds, iguanas and all the other weird creatures that people like to detain and keep as friends? When we humans decide to spend a few days throwing all sorts of money into relaxation, what exactly are we to do with our pets?
Many Eugene pet owners seem to choose the outdoorsy options (camping, backpacking, etc.) because these are pet friendly ways to take time and relax. You can bring your pooch camping most places in Oregon, but national parks such as Crater Lake have restrictions on pets and do not allow them on trails.

For those who are not the outdoor type (but for some reason feel that bringing their pet along on vacation is an absolute must), there are an abundance of Oregon establishments that cater to the canine and other furry clientele. This ranges from inns and hotels to vacation rentals and resorts. If these places don’t cater to pets, one response that has worked for some is stuffing your little friends into a backpack and sneaking ’em in Trojan-horse style. Disclaimer one: This may not work with small yappy dogs. Disclaimer two: We’re not suggesting you do this, just that it happens sometimes.


(Photo: Mandie Stuhan, Lucky Dog)

Now, for those who want to venture far from home, attachment to these cute little life forms tends to pose a larger problem. Paying extra to have your dog locked in a cage for four hours while you fly across the country sounds awful, not to mention the fact that you’re locking up your precious poodly-kins. But here’s the good part: Pets, as much as we sometimes want them to be, are not children. Eugene is littered (pun intended) with cat and dog daycares and boarding kennels, so don’t rule them out as a possibility. This is not to say we should ditch our pets, but rather to weigh the pros and cons of bringing them long distances to crowded vacation spots.

One of the coolest options open to Lane County dog lovers who want to leave town but don’t want their beasties to languish without the benefits of the great outdoors is the Canine Campout provided by the highly certified Mandie Stuhan, owner of Lucky Dog. The campout basically involves your dog living a fun and healthy outdoor lifestyle at the coast or out hiking for a few days. They can “run on the beach, have fun and basically just chill,” says Stuhan.

So take ’em or leave ’em, the choice is yours.

Talk to Lucky Dog about their Canine Campout at
744-BARK


(In the 7/29 issue of EW)